The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-02-03

pei truth, every Twin word ont So
I commences, a-pickin' o my words
with fear an trenholm.
ga good many years ago, Benjie,
tew o. the bes' people I ever knowed
died, an lef' a h%alf-growed woman an
a boy a trif1e younger ter fight their
way long ez best they might. N sech
a case, Benjie, dye think it's manful
to let the woman dew the heft o. the
battlin', an kerry mos O. the burdensp
That's what he done; an arter a while,
she kerried not only the heft, but the
hull ont. She sakerficed every thin
fur him, an what did she reap fur a re-
wardp Nothin', I give We my word
fort, but the bitteres' kim O. a har-
ves'.
"'One o. the likeliest men 1 ever
seed wus a-keepin' comply along O.
her. This wuthless brother, he druv
him of, n broke up the match f'rever.
Their father lef' EN- a harnsom' Twin
this ongrateful brother, he wasted 1t
all, her substance, s well s his'n, with
riotous Twin. Not to be ten hard on
him. he managed, one way r 'nuther,
ter make life one continool burden to
her. An her a-bearin' an a.pleadin'
with him like a horned mother! Final
ly, he took hisself off with what leetle
theer was lef', an fur six year she had
a breathin' -spell. Then news come ez
how he wuz dead an buried, an the
only thin he lef' his sister, savin' the
mem'ry O. them years which wore her
youth out airly, wuz a leetle five-year-
ole boy. I mus be fair ter him, though,
an tell We he sent word ez he wuz very
sorry-that wuz his fust, last, an only
message in them half-dozen years. l
s'pose Gods forgave him; I amt so
sure ez I hev, but I know Miss Hester
did years an years ago. Wall, Benjie,
I've let the cat out O. the bag fore I
meant ter! God forgive me, eff I've
gone an done wrong in op'nin' yer
eyer ter yer fathers sins; but it's so ye
ken profit by it, dear boy says I.
"'Yer aunt, she couldn't ha' TUX We
more gladly, eff ye'd ben yer weight in
gol'; an ye've paid yer way, so fur,
han'som', in the comfort you've ben ter
her. But now, Benjie, I dunno! I dom
no! Here We be. a-callin' on purity
lively fur money-what's it fur? An
on t'other side, there's yer aunt ter
hum, a-skimpin' an savin' all her
might, like s she done fur yer father.
How're ye goin' ter pay her fort, Ben
jieP She amt 'zactly got ter sweetnin'
her tea with m'lasses, but she's mex
door to it-she's sol ole Whitley, an
now she hez ter foot it. Look ter yer
own heart, Benjie. Settle up this
matter square 'twixt God an yer con-
science.
"'No. no. says I, ez he begun ter
speak, I won't hear nary a word! I
only come to warn we never ter dew
nothin' ter bring another ache ter Miss
Hester's heart;' an edgin' towards the
door, I says, .Mebbe this IL help We in
the squarin'-up,' an putin the bills in
his ham, I cut an run.
lone evenin' bout a month arter
this, Benjie steps in pom US, all onex-
pected. Jes' ez Miss Hester wuz a-goin'
off ter bed, he sez:
".Aunt Hetty, set down a minute.
I've got suthin' ter tell yer. I've lef'
college fur good an ALL says he; AN
now, std O. larnin' books, I'm a-goin
ter larn ter be a man.
".No,' says he, answerin' the fright
in her eyes, I amt expelled; I lef' O.
my own free will. It come acrost me,
one day, like a fash, what a greet lazy
lunk-head I'd ben, to take my
ease, an leave you hard ter
work here, pervidin' fur me. ]
knowed ez you'd be dis'pinted fust
long, Aunt Hetty DEAR says he, but
I couldn't feel a atom o respec' fur my
self eff I let We keep me theer any
longer. A lady you air, an alters hev
been, but these worn hans an this ole
gownd don't look like it. Gin me ye1
blessin', Aunt Hetty,' says he, fun
hencefor'ard,' says he, I'm a-goin' tel
be yer help, an not yer h~indrance.'
81 never callated ez he'd leave col.
lege 'longo' my story; but his words
ringed out sech true metal tibet I gin
hearty n'ard thanks tibet I'd ben the
means o'bringin' the las Stanwood back
ter his granther's good ole ruts. An
Miss Hester-down she weht on hei
knees, fur she knowed by Benjie'E
manner ez 'twuzent no use ter parley
with him; an though she's alters
powerful prayer-gifted, she o~ut-prayed
herself then. Mex day, Benjie tole ui
his plans. Richard Cross, the chum I'd
been so foolish scat of, he'd got him
place in his fathers big consarn ir
| Me- V@rl xIouo Dsl,,l Ls,,o1 -,,
a-goin when he wuz through college
Wall, Benjie found hisself in his ele
ment theer. Leetle by ~leetle, slow ani
sure, he worked his way up, till, artel
some years, ole MI. Cross took Richard
/ an Benjie, tew. inter partnership 'lons
O. hisself. An Benjie rained comforts
down on Miss Hester's head ez thick e;
Benjamin he'd poured trouble. Artel
t a while, he married Richards sister
an'we larned ter like her, when W,
come to know her, jes' ez well ez e
she'd he'd fewer furbelows. She's
growed to be a regular darter ter Mis-
Hester.
: II tell We, Benjie's three youngsters
: an Richards tew, which seem e'ena
: mos ez nigh,--them five dew make
, fine racket roun' the ole house all tn
: summer through. Miss Hester sh
t looks on, in her black silk gownd, e
is Benjie's delight, an when they come
1 a-lovin' an a kissin' of her, an a-call
+ in of her gran'ma, she's ez proud ez
< queen, an twic't ez happy. But tn
, bes' joke O. all is ter hear the hull XII
z O. 'em a Uncte.Amos-img O. me!
Wall, l don bear Benjamen n
grudge, but 1 dew say ez the bes' thin
. he ever done wuz when he started u
an died, an lef' Miss Hester he
e Legacy" Emma j. Langley, !
Youths Companion.
&C. B. Galusha, of Cape Girardear